Spathiphyllum plant named &#39;spamalgro&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spamalgro’, characterized by its large, upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; large glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large white-colored spathes that are positioned between and above the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; flowers that produce very little to no pollen; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPAMALGRO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Spamalgro’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in October, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20081932-45, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20051579-98, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in December, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since July, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spamalgro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spamalgro’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

1. Large, upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.

2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.

3. Large glossy dark green-colored leaves.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Large white-colored spathes that are positioned between and above the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.

6. Flowers that produce very little to no pollen.

7. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than plants of the female parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have higher quality inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Roots of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are stronger than roots of plants of the male parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are larger than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spagrodo’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of ‘Spagrodo’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are faster growing than plants of ‘Spagrodo’.

2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely flowering than plants of ‘Spagrodo’.

3. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are longer than scapes of plants of ‘Spagrodo’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 3) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spamalgro’ grown in a container and is the same photograph as filed in the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/918,087.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 3) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spamalgro’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3 of 3) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spamalgro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 24° C. and light levels averaged 5 klux. Plants were 42 weeks from transplanting rooted young plants when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spamalgro’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20081932-45,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20051579-98,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 119 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 130 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Large, upright, outwardly arching             and uniform plant habit; overall plant shape, broadly             inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit and moderate to             rapid growth rate.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit with about 14 clumps developing per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             70.4 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 80.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 82 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 38.9 cm. Width: About 18.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to broadly             ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire;             moderately undulate; not lobed. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Slightly darker than 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to between 138A and 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Slightly darker than NN137A; venation, close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between             137B and 147B; venation, close to 144B to 144C. Petioles:             Length (excluding geniculum): About 29.6 cm. Diameter, just             below geniculum: About 5 mm. Diameter, at plant base: About             1.6 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to between 145D and 157B. Color, lower             surface: Slightly darker than 143A. Geniculum length: About             4.7 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 6.5 mm. Geniculum texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Geniculum color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144A. Wing length: About 25.1 cm. Wing diameter:             About 1.25 cm. Wing color: Close to 143B; towards the             margins, slightly darker than 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Moderately to             strongly cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held             between and above the foliar plane on strong and erect             scapes; flowering structures arise from leaf axils; plants             begin flowering about six months after transplanting rooted             young plants; freely and continuous flowering year-round             under greenhouse conditions in The Netherlands; freely             flowering habit, typically about six inflorescences             developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; fragrance, sweet and             pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last more than three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 18.6 cm. Width: About 8.6 cm. Depth:             About 5 cm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex:             Apiculate; not twisted. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire;             very slightly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster,             front surface: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat leathery;             moderately glossy. Texture and luster, rear surface: Smooth,             glabrous; somewhat leathery; glossy. Color: When developing,             front surface: Close to NN155B; apex, close to 144A. When             developing, rear surface: Close to NN155A to NN155B; apex             and main vein, close to 144A. Fully developed, front             surface: Close to NN155B; apex, close to 144C; main vein,             lighter than 148D; color does not change with development.             Fully developed, rear surface: Close to NN155B to NN155C;             apex, close to 144C; main vein, close to 144B; color does             not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 6.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Shape:             Columnar; apex, obtuse; base, obtuse; cross-section,             circular. Aspect: Close to erect, about 5° from scape axis.             Color, immature: Close to 158C to 158D. Color, mature: Close             to 158B. Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 220.             Shape: Rounded. Height: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount: None to             scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155C. Stigma color: Close to             155A. Ovary color: Close to 158D.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 66.2 cm. Diameter: About 5.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 15° from vertical. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Spathiphyllum     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common     to Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spamalgro’ as illustrated and described. 